Trudeau promises federal funds, workers to help provinces ramp up testing and tracing

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gives an update on the government's measures to help Canadians with the effects of COVID-19 pandemic from Rideau Cottage in Ottawa on Mar. 23, 2020. Andrew Meade/iPolitics

Politicians and public health officials have said the ability to re-open the economy hinges on the ability to test more people for COVID-19 and trace cases in order to isolate and contain the virus’ spread.

Trudeau said the federal government has trained employees who can make 3,600 contract tracing calls daily, while Statistics Canada has an additional 1,700 interviewers ready to make 20,000 calls a day.

“These federal resources are available to assist provinces and territories with any surges or backlogs or challenges they have in contact tracing,” he said Friday, adding that Ottawa is already helping Ontario to make calls.

Trudeau, who spoke to Canada’s premiers on Thursday, said COVID-19 remains a serious health risk and that in order for Canadians to move around freely and return to normal life, Canada needs to improve its ability to quickly pinpoint the virus and isolate it.

“I’ve told the premiers that the federal government is here to support, facilitate and fund this important work,” he said.

Ottawa’s promise comes as Ontario recorded its highest daily number of new reported COVID-19 cases in two weeks as businesses gradually reopen. On Friday, the province reported 441 new cases and 28 additional deaths.

Trudeau said while a number of provinces have witnessed fewer cases and as a result, have tested less than what is capable, “everyone needs to be ready in case there is a surge.”

Trudeau open to changing Parliamentary sittings model

Meanwhile, the prime minister faced questions about whether to increase the number of in-person House of Commons sittings.

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said Friday that Parliament should be declared an essential service so a cast of up to 50 MPs can resume normal sittings in the Commons chamber, which would also allow for debate on matters not directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said Trudeau’s daily news conferences are inadequate for holding the Liberal government to account and that MPs from across Canada need to be able to ask questions on behalf of their constituents.

Trudeau suggested Friday he is open to changes to the current model, where the Commons has turned into a special committee on COVID-19 where all 338 MPs are members of. The committee meets three times a week, twice virtually and once in the Commons chamber, and is limited to COVID-19-related topics.

He said there is room to discuss non-COVID-19-related business and discussions with opposition parties continue.

“There are certainly non-COVID things we could be moving forward on,” he said. “I know that all parties are united in wanting to ensure that we continue as we have been to demonstrate that our democracy is strong and our institutions are functioning.”

Canada ‘concerned’ over security law on Hong Kong

Trudeau said “we are concerned with the situation in Hong Kong,” calling for genuine dialogue between Beijing and the city’s citizens in order to diffuse tensions.

He added that Canada wants to ensure that the ‘one country, two systems’ model continues for the semi-autonomous city, where approximately 300,000 Canadians reside.

Beijing has outlined plans for a new security law that would attempt to prevent and punish what it deems to be secession, subversion and foreign infiltration in the city. The law, which would circumvent Hong Kong’s legislative body, would allow China’s feared security agencies to set up operations publicly in the city.

Western governments and activists say the new law is an oppressive attempt by Chinese President Xi Jinping to crackdown on free expression in the city.

On Friday, U.K. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab released a joint statement with Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne and Australian Foreign Minister Marisa Payne saying they are “deeply concerned at proposals for introducing legislation related to national security in Hong Kong.”

“Making such a law on Hong Kong’s behalf without the direct participation of its people, legislature or judiciary would clearly undermine the principle of ‘One Country, Two Systems’, under which Hong Kong is guaranteed a high degree of autonomy,” the statement said.